Ecology Led Public Comment Period on the draft of the Hanford Air Operating Permit Renewal 3

Category:

Public Comment Periods

Event Date:

06/13/2018

This is an Ecology led comment period.

Reopening of the public comment period on the draft of the Hanford Air Operating Permit Renewal 3July 22, 2018 – September 14, 2018

We invite you to comment on the draft permit renewal of the Hanford Site Air Operating Permit (AOP) No. 00-05-006 Renewal 3. The public comment period, which was initially held for 60 days and closed in April 2018, is reopening July 22, 2018 through September 14, 2018. The draft permit documents are the same, but electronic access for some supporting documents is now available (below).

The state’s regulations for controlling air emissions limit the duration of an AOP to five years. The previous Hanford Site AOP expired on March 31, 2018. A new AOP was needed as the Hanford site still has air emissions. We received the renewal application from the U.S. Department of Energy on Sept. 12, 2017, and determined the application was complete on Nov. 7, 2017. During the permit renewal process, the existing AOP (No. 00-05-006 Renewal 2, Rev. B) remained in effect.

Congress amended the federal Clean Air Act in 1990 by creating AOPs for industrial sources of air pollution. An AOP brings all applicable air requirements into one document. In 1991, the Legislature updated the Washington Clean Air Act (RCW 70.94) to make it consistent with these changes. In 1993, Ecology developed Washington’s AOP regulation (WAC 173-401) to comply with federal regulations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted the state the authority to implement the AOP regulations in November 1994. The Hanford Site AOP was first issued in June 2001.

Three agencies administer the Hanford site AOP. We regulate the nonradioactive criteria and toxic air emissions; Washington State Department of Health regulates all radioactive air emissions; and the Benton Clean Air Agency administers outdoor burning.

How to comment
Please submit comments between July 22 and September 14, 2018.